"Horikita Suzune?"
Sakayanagi Arisu tilted her head in slight confusion. The gesture caused her beret to slide askew, prompting Kitagawa Ryo to casually reach over and adjust it.
"Yeah, the one I mentioned before—the additional candidate."
"Sounds like trouble..."
"Hm."
Just as a mischievous glint flashed in her violet eyes, Kitagawa tapped her forehead with a chess piece.
"You didn't seem troubled at all when you secretly put my name down as a family member."
"That's different. You're basically my tutor, in a way."
Sakayanagi pouted slightly in protest. Back then, she'd only invited Ryo to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School to cheer him up after noticing his bad mood and lackluster focus during their chess sessions. With all the class competitions in full swing, the school's cultural festival promised to be quite the spectacle.
Of course, she also just wanted to spend time alone with him.
Who would've thought Ryo would agree to come—on the condition that he bring another girl along.
"Horikita Suzune..."
Sakayanagi muttered the name a few more times before her eyes suddenly lit up.
"Is she related to Horikita Manabu, the new first-year?"
"They're siblings."
As Ryo answered, he raised an eyebrow curiously. "You know Horikita Manabu?"
"Top scores in both the written and interview exams. Solid Class A material. I happened to catch a glimpse of the files from my father."
After all, her father was the chairman of the school, so Sakayanagi had access to information far beyond her peers.
"So you're bringing Horikita Suzune to let her see her brother? The school's pretty closed-off, after all."
Once she realized that, Sakayanagi relaxed. As long as they got inside, Suzune could go find her brother and leave her and Ryo free to explore together.
"Something like that. Their relationship's a bit complicated."
Not wanting to delve into it, Ryo quickly swept the chessboard clean, decisively ending the game.
Despite Sakayanagi's top-tier skills among her age group, Kitagawa Ryo's level was professional. She had never won a match against him—heck, maintaining a draw was a feat.
"Review the match, I'll go collect the laundry."
Without paying attention to Sakayanagi analyzing the board, Ryo stood up and headed to the balcony.
Being her tutor was easy. He didn't even need to go to her house—she'd always come to him on weekends. Ichinose Honami usually came in the mornings, so their schedules never overlapped.
Not that it would matter if they did. Probably.
As he folded the bedding and clothes, Ryo absentmindedly let his thoughts wander.
"Hm?"
Having finished folding the last item, Ryo suddenly made a puzzled sound.
"What is it?" Sakayanagi asked without looking up, still replaying the match.
"One of my shirts is missing."
"Maybe it blew away?"
Ryo leaned over the balcony railing to check, but saw nothing below.
"Nothing there."
"Was it stolen? I've heard creepy fans sometimes take personal items."
Considering Ryo's past in the public eye, Sakayanagi made a reasonable guess.
"I doubt many people know where I live. And if someone did take it, why just one piece?"
Ryo shook his head. "It could've been a fan, but not one of mine."
"Huh?"
Now intrigued, Sakayanagi looked up. "What exactly did you lose? A costume?"
With a serious face, Ryo clasped his hands under his chin. "An idol support shirt. Limited edition, signed."
"..."
"?"
Sakayanagi displayed a masterclass in facial control, but even she couldn't keep a straight face this time.
Ryo smiled at her rare reaction. He continued, "It was from that idol Hotaru supports. She has the same shirt. It was her final wish before going abroad, so she bought the limited signed edition."
"So why did you get one too?"
"I didn't buy it. I won it in a raffle."
He pulled out a photo of himself, Hotaru, and Ichinose Maki holding glow sticks. Unlike the other two in support shirts, Ryo wore plain clothes.
Handing the phone to Sakayanagi, he explained, "See? This is the style. Fans even thought I was a saboteur because I didn't wear the shirt. It was a hassle."
"Hey, don't scroll right—"
Too late. Sakayanagi burst out laughing.
The next photo was of Ryo in the very same pink-and-white support shirt, complete with an enormous cartoonish doodle across the chest.
"Since you've seen it now, help me deal with these."
Resigned, Ryo went to the kitchen and retrieved several gift boxes.
"What are those?"
"A bunch of snacks she sent me. Turns out she's someone I used to know. Probably sent the shirt under the guise of a raffle."
He laid out the boxes with relief. After already passing some to Honami, he figured Sakayanagi could take a few as well.
Sakayanagi ignored the friend comment and instead analyzed the situation.
"If it's that support shirt, it could've been stolen by a hardcore fan. That idol's been trending lately."
She pointed at the photo. "Ryo, just asking—how much would that ugly shirt sell for now?"
"Uh, twenty thousand yen? Maybe more."
"...What's it made of?"
"Just cotton."
"Comfort?"
"Fine, not scratchy."
"Any special features?"
"Hand-drawn by Shizuku herself."
"Verified?"
"That's what the promo said."
"And what is that drawing, exactly?"
She zoomed in but got nothing but blurry pixels.
"It's a monster. A curtain monster."
Ryo chuckled. "She used to be scared of being watched, afraid to talk, afraid to sleep alone. The fluttering curtain terrified her. She said it looked like a monster."
"But fans don't care what it is—as long as she drew it."
"...You two really know how to profit, huh."
Sakayanagi shook her head. Even with her affluent background, a 20,000-yen shirt was a shock. Considering Ryo's influence over the "theater boom," it started to make sense.
She recalled how first-years at Advanced Nurturing High got excited over receiving 100,000 yen worth of points. That'd only buy five shirts.
If the school admitted elites and geniuses like Ryo, those point rewards would lose meaning fast. The system had a loophole. She needed to come up with a better framework.
Meanwhile, Ryo opened the boxes and started plating the sweets. It was nearly dinner, so he figured this could tide them over.
Thirty seconds later, Sakayanagi, now seated properly, cautiously picked up a dainty dessert.
"Looks good."
"Tastes okay too. There's sushi if you want something savory."
"Also handmade?"
"The note said so. Can't toss it—would be rude."
Sakayanagi stared at the display of delicate treats, muttering awkwardly, "Seems like you two have quite the bond."
"It's all one-sided. If this keeps up, I won't need to cook."
"Soba, apple pie, sushi—she's got it all covered."
Ignoring her slightly bitter gaze, Ryo stood up. "There's coffee in the kitchen. Want some?"
Sakayanagi nearly choked on a macaron. Her violet eyes filled with disbelief.
"Wait. Idols hand-grind coffee for fans now?"
"...It's from the convenience store downstairs."
Ryo fetched cups and served them. He wasn't a coffee fan but kept some for guests.
By the time he'd taken just a sip, Sakayanagi had already polished off a full cup, sipping it with elegance despite the odd sweets-coffee pairing.
"It really is delicious."
Girls, after all, are made of sugar, spice, and everything nice.
Even Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't resist the warm bliss of pure sweetness.
"If, as you said, these were handmade by her, then she's truly talented. That's a skill worth being proud of."
She offered sincere praise.
Something she herself couldn't do.
For health reasons, she rarely entered kitchens, let alone cooked for others.
From that perspective, this idol named Shizuku had already surpassed her.
"Mm."
Ryo casually nibbled on a treat. He understood exactly why Sakura Airi had done this.
That same smile now gracing Sakayanagi's face—he had seen it before on Airi.
But that was in the past.
It seemed Airi had been working hard behind the scenes.
She was learning well.
He bit into the dessert with purpose.
-------------------------------------
"Looks like you and Airi are getting along quite well."
A kind elderly woman leaned down and greeted the two children in the hallway with a gentle smile.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure Sakura can perform on stage properly."
The boy stood straight, his bow graceful and faultless.
He turned to the timid girl hiding behind him and spoke softly:
"If you can recite all your lines without missing a word today, I'll make you an amazing dessert tonight. Any kind you want."
"Sound good?"
Sakura Airi jolted awake from sleep, propping herself up groggily.
She had dreamt of something nostalgic.
Was it because she finally had time to visit Azabu Middle School tomorrow?
Her phone displayed the time: 2:00 AM. Outside the window, the night was still deep.
"Liar..."
Airi murmured. Her teeth lightly bit into her lower lip, forming a pale, sorrowful line.
She still remembered the night before she left the theater troupe. She had locked herself in her room, unwilling to come out, silently protesting.
"Look forward."
That voice from the hallway had been firm and clear.
Back then, the view she saw was exactly like now:
An open window. A vast, endless night sky. A full moon hanging high in the middle. The curtain fluttering gently with the wind.
"Did you notice? You're not afraid of that monster anymore."
"Remember to lock your windows and doors before bed."
"Goodbye."
She remembered being sleepless that night too, whispering countless words into the empty night.
But sadly, the moon cannot speak.
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